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11/22 16:33 CST France dazzles with 7 tries and sends Wallabies home from
winless tour of Europe
France dazzles with 7 tries and sends Wallabies home from winless tour of Europe
PARIS (AP) --- France produced its best attacking performance this year to
outscore Australia by a record 48-33 at the Stade de France on Saturday.
The defense allowed five tries and the Wallabies were in the match until the
72nd minute.
But the attack sparkled with seven tries, some of them breathtaking, for their
highest score against Australia. They also notched three straight wins over the
Wallabies for the first time in 49 years.
Nicolas Depoortere scored his second straight brace for France, and Kalvin
Gourgues, a 20-year-old center, debuted off the bench and broke from inside his
own half to gift Louis Bielle-Biarrey his second try.
The Wallabies were consigned to a first winless tour of Europe since 1958 and a
record 10th loss in a single year.
They were said to be mentally and physically exhausted after consecutive losses
to England, Italy and Ireland, but they started brilliantly to set up hooker
Matt Faessler to crash through France centers Depoortere and Gael Fickou for
the opening try.
Bielle-Biarrey set up the reply by Depoortere, and while Wallabies flyhalf Tane
Edmed missed his second goalkick, he converted a try by prop Angus Bell, who
chucked off Thomas Ramos and broke clear from 40 meters out.
France struck twice in a row when Julien Marchand's turnover was capped by a
try for Ramos, and Bielle-Biarrey finished a sensational solo try from his own
chip and running catch.
Faessler's second try, following a yellow card for France scrumhalf Maxime
Lucu, tied the score on 19-19 at halftime.
After the interval, Ramos broke free and Bielle-Biarrey came off his wing to
send Depoortere over again.
But a turnover on halfway by Australia put the ball in the hands of fullback
Max Jorgensen, who tore away and, with three Frenchmen bearing down on him,
cleverly kicked ahead and slid onto the ball in goal.
Edmed's touchline conversion had Australia just 27-26 behind.
Marchand's try from a lineout maul propelled France further ahead again. But
despite Tom Hooper being in the sin-bin for side entry into a maul, Australia
just missed a try chance when the pass went behind Rob Valetini on the line.
In a fitting flourish, Gourges teed up Bielle-Biarrey for France to go a
decisive 15 points ahead, followed by first test tries for Australia's Josh
Nasser and France's Maxime Lamothe.
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This story has been corrected to show France scored seven tries, not eight.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
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